Fremont – Watch the trailer for Babak Jalali’s new film

Fremont is the acting debut of real-life Afghan refugee Anaita Wali Zada, a former broadcast journalist who responded to an open casting call just 8 months after leaving her home country.

Beautiful and troubled 20-something Donya, an Afghan translator who used to work with the U.S. government, has trouble sleeping. She lives by herself in Fremont in a building with other Afghan immigrants and often dines alone at a local restaurant watching soap operas. Her routine changes when she’s promoted to writing the fortunes at her job at a fortune cookie factory in the city. As her fortunes are read by strangers throughout the Bay, Donya’s smoldering longing drives her to send a message out to the world, unsure where it will lead.

You can read our review here.

Co-starring comedian Gregg Turkington and Jeremy Allen White of The Bear, the film is directed by Babak Jalali who co-wrote it with Carolina Cavalli (Amanda).

Fremont opens in cinemas across the UK & Ireland on Friday 15th September.